


Dragon Fruit

by CashMoneyAndFriedChicken



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Bath Sex, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends With Benefits, Multi, Polyamory, Praise Kink, Shower Sex, everyone is 18+, everyone is bi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-09-29 20:46:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20442269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CashMoneyAndFriedChicken/pseuds/CashMoneyAndFriedChicken
Summary: What happens when one of the least liked students of Hope's Peak undergoes a strong physical and psychological change after a long and hard questioning of himself, and finds himself becoming desirable ? Let's find out.





	1. Chapter 1

Having recently turned 19, Kazuichi Soda couldn’t help but feel inadequate around his peers at Hope’s Peak.

Sure, being the Ultimate Mechanist was cool. He could create cool machinery and electronics from as little as junk parts and other useless stuff, and his handiness basically meant he would never be out of a job !

But, putting aside his skills, he felt… lonely.

Two years ago, if you had asked his classmates about him, they probably would have described him as “the bloke that always chases after Sonia Nevermind’s heart”, or any other derogatory term, he guessed.

Ah yeah. Sonia.

That infatuation lasted for 3 months, and pretty much evolved like this:

First meeting crush => Shenanigans to try and win her over => True unrequited love => Almost stalkerish behavior (Not proud of that part. Like, at all.) => Realization of the one-sidedness of the relationship => Acceptance of the facts => And, finally, severe depression that is still present to this day.

As much as people would like to, you can’t change the past, no matter how idiotic the things you said and/or did were at the time.

For Kazuichi, it took almost one whole month to get over his sadness and come back to an “acquaintances” relationship with Sonia.

For Sonia, it took, understandably, very few hours, if not minutes, to get over her garishly-dressed classmate.

It took a very long while to get used to that fact.

And, after the infatuation with Sonia ended, so did his famous “butt-monkey” role in Class 77.

He wasn’t “Sonia’s weird stalker” anymore. He wasn’t even Hiyoko’s favorite punching bag anymore.

Now he was just... there. Like a brightly colored houseplant you sometimes remember to water.

While everyone was busy being chums with each other, he was the one to make sure everything held on correctly for every event the rest of the class attended, then slinked away before anyone could remember he was also a part of their class.

So he tried to fill that void inside him with other stuff.

Sports were pretty good. It helped him stay in shape, and now he could finally look at himself naked without his stomach upturning. But after a while, it became boring, and especially scary, since he was alone with his thoughts.

Music was an interesting few months, even if complicated. At least, with the struggle he had to make himself learn guitar, he didn’t have the time to think about his cloud of sadness, so that was good. But once again, after a while, it became boring. Eh, at least he knows how to play guitar now.

Video games would have been a pretty good choice if he had had people to play with. Him playing alone in his room only reminded him further of his pathetic situation, so he dropped it very quickly.

Eating his sadness away (Something he called “The coward’s choice”) was also out of the question, since he didn’t fancy doing sports again to get alone with his thoughts once more.

So most of his time was spent listening to music, reading... or watching porn.

While he would have argued with anybody that would stand his presence for more than a conversation that he wasn’t addicted to porn, the fact that he watched porn clips almost daily and almost every time he got bored alone in his room clearly proved otherwise.

But it didn’t really matter. As long as he had something to cover up his messed up thoughts, he was fine.

…

Fine…

It’s a strange word, don’t you think ?

When most people say “I’m fine.”, do they mean it ? Are they just lying to keep themselves from having a conversation about how they’re not fine ? Or are they lying to keep people from worrying ?

All of those are true, for some more than others.

…

Alright, let’s do a rundown of the change in three years, shall we ?

At 16, Kazuichi Soda measured 5’6”, weighted 64 kg and his chest size was 86 cm. And he wasn’t depressed.

Now at 19, and after a severe growth spurt, Kazuichi Soda measures at a whopping 6’3”, weights 80 kg and his chest size is now 100 cm. He is fitter, apparently stronger, more sensible, and apprently nicer to have around (Not that anyone would know, since, you know, loneliness and all), but he’s depressed.

His growth spurt also extended to his… Manly pride, let’s say, which now measures at around 11 or 12 inches, but that fact always brought a sarcastic smile to his face. Here you go, Soda-kun ! Have a big dick and enjoy being such an unlikable piece of shit that you’ll never get to use it !

He honestly felt like he was the punchline to an incredibly shitty cosmic joke.

Or so he thought, until very recently…

* * *

“Yo, Kazuichi !” The Ultimate Gymnast called, seating herself in front of your desk on an empty chair.

“Akane-san ?” That was strange, you usually stayed in class during free time because everyone else went out and you would be alone in here to not bother them. So for someone to come talk to you out of the blue was rare, especially Akane, the one girl that enjoys the outdoors and challenging sporty students of other classes the most !

“Wha- Hi ! I… didn’t expect you to come talk to me ! How are ya ?” You felt a bit hypocritical, wearing a fake smile like everything was fine in your life, but, hey, having to explain your situation to anybody would only give them a reason to mock you, so it was a survival move more than anything else !

“I’m good, I’m good ! Nidai-ossan is out there coaching Class 78, and he told me not to go challenge Oogami-san as it would disrupt her special training. I’m not sure why, though !”

Ah. There it was. Nekomaru and Sakura are busy so she asks whoever isn’t. You should seriously stop getting your hopes up, geez…

“Well… Do you need me to build you some training equipment again ?” That was one of the sole reasons why people came to talk to you. So that you could build them things that they needed. After a while, you even stopped hoping for them to include you into one of their things, and just became the “stage technician” of the class: Always out of the picture, yet indispensable, but not indispensable enough to be on the stage.

“Not really… To be honest, I came to see you, but not to ask you for a favor. I wanted to ask you… something else. Er, if that makes sense.”

It makes sense, but you’re not sure you know what she’s talking about.

“Ask away, Akane-san. If I can help you with that, I’ll be glad to respond !” You say, bringing your coke bottle to your mouth, savoring the sugary taste of the beverage in your hand.

“Alright… Here goes…” The Ultimate Gymnast sighs, taking in a long breath of fresh air from the open window of the classroom. “There’s been… rumors, amongst the girls.”

Ouch. Rumors are never a good thing. Especially when they’re about you.

“Hmmhm ?” You hum inquisitively, downing more soda into your mouth as you try to not visibly sweat too much.

“See, um… Do you remember that time you got sent to the infirmary because Kuwata from Class 78 had accidentally knocked you out with a baseball ?”

How could you forget that one ? It almost felt like that standard baseball was made of steel when it impacted with your skull !

It’s been one month and a half, but your ears still ring due to the force of the impact at random times.

“I do believe I remember something like that, before, you know, being out of commission.” You say, gulping down your soda in one go as you crack a slight joke. It seems to work, though, since you can hear Akane chuckling earnestly.

“Heheh, yeah… Well, after that, Mikan nursed you back to health, and… for that, she had to do a… full-body exam, a-and…” Akane continues, the embarrassed blush on her face betraying her as her forehead presses against your desk. “Uuuuurgh… Why is it so embarrassing to ask… ?! I never feel embarrassed, normally… !”

If the fact that Akane never wears bras meant anything, it was that you can absolutely believe her not being normally embarrassed. If anything, the other girls of your class are embarrassed in her stead !

“It’s okay, Akane-san, take your time. I’m not going anywhere, anyway…” Not that you want to, after all, you’re intrigued, now ! What could it be that Akane wants to ask you that embarrasses her so much- ?!

C-Could it be… ? That she wants to be your- your… ?!

“Right ! So !” Akane resumes, a bit loudly, as she presses the tips of her indexes together, looking away in an adorable blushy face that you already love. “The- The thing I wanted to ask you w-was… Uh…”

Yes ? YES ?!

“Y-You know what, this was a bad idea, I’ll catch you in class, Soda-kun !” Akane says, a shaky smile on her visibly sweating face as she tries to make a beeline for the classroom door.

Is- Is she trying to run away in embarrassment… ?

Alright, now you really have to know-

**WAIT NO DON’T GO AND WHAT IS THAT SODA-KUN SUPPOSED TO MEAN YOU NEVER CALL ME SODA-KUN COME ON AKANE TELL ME TELL ME TELL ME TELL ME- !!!**

“A-Akane-san !” You call out to her, making her stop in her tracks as you get up and run up to her. “What’s with you ? You never act this bashful ! Is something wrong ?!”

“N-No !”

“…Is this another one of Saionji-san’s cruel jokes where you ask me out for fake just so you and her can laugh at me ?” You ask, squinting your eyes at her suspiciously.

“Wh-What ?! No ! I would never do that to you !”

“Then tell me what you want to ask me !”

“No ! It’s too embarrassing !”

“Akane-san.”

“_ Kazuichi-san. _”

“Tell me !”

“No !”

“TELL ME TELL ME TELL ME TELL M-”

“**FINE !**”

That scream definitely took you by surprise, recoiling instinctively as Akane tried to quell her blush as best as she could.

“Kazuichi-san ! The thing I wanted to ask you was- !”

The door opening swiftly revealed the Ultimate Swordswoman and the Ultimate Photograph, having apprently ran all the way to the class.

“Akane-san ! We heard you scream ! What is- ?!”

“**HOW BIG IS YOUR FRONT TAIL, KAZUICHI-SAN ?!**” Akane yelled out her question, closing her eyes as to not look at you while she asked you such a scandalous piece of information.

You know how sometimes, the planets align and things happen all at the right moment ?

This wasn’t one of those moments.

“Th- There ! I said it !” Akane said, a shaky smile on her face as she continued. “Now listen ! Don’t you dare go blabbering about this to anyone ! I don’t want anyone else to know that this was a thing that was- !”

“…happening.” The Ultimate Swordswoman finished her sentence, making Akane’s eyes shoot open and slowly turn to look at the pair like a deer caught in the headlights of a car.

It was definitely at that moment you saw all color drain from Akane’s face, her mouth hanging open in shock while Peko looked away in something akin to embarassment, The Ultimate Photograph herself looking like a ripe strawberry, with her short hair matching the color of her face.

“…Pardon us for interrupting your alone time.” Peko finally said with a cough, before slowly sliding the classroom’s door shut.

…

“Y-YOU’RE NOT INTERRUPTING ANYTHING ! NOTHING WAS HAPPENING ! PEKO-SAN !” You barely have the time to open the classroom’s door to see the two female Ultimates bolting down the hallway.

“See, this sort of thing wouldn’t have happened if you said what you wanted to say outright, Aka- **AKANE-SAN ?!**”

Your head immediately turns towards your female friend to see a tiny little spirit with her haircut floating out of her gaping mouth as she knelt on the classroom’s floor, apparently unconscious, a sense of panic overtaking you as you saw her.

“_ The sun really is warm today… I hope there is meat in Paradise…” _The tiny Akane spirit said happily, floating towards the open window.

“WAIT ! AKANE-SAN ! DON’T GO TOWARDS THE LIGHT ! DON’T DIE OF EMBARRASSMENT, PLEASE !”

“_Heehee… Shame doesn’t exist in Paradise… I will be freeeeee… !”_

“**AKANE-SAAAAAAAAAAAAN !**”

* * *

“Ah, there you two are ! Did you find out what was the deal with Akane ?” Nekomaru Nidai asked to the two Ultimates, both of whom were still reeling with the aftershocks of what they had seen- or, rather what they thought they had been seeing- back in the classroom.

“Y-YES ! HAHAHA ! IT- IT WAS NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY ! C-COMPLETELY NORMAL, IT WAS- THE- THE SITUATION, I MEAN- !” Mahiru Koizumi was the first one to talk, or, well, scream would be a better description of what she was currently doing, immediately stopping as she felt the Ultimate Swordswoman jab her in the stomach with her elbow.

“…Akane-san stubbed her toe on a table, that’s it.” Peko Pekoyama lied, much better at hiding her stupefaction than the Ultimate Photograph.

“What, that’s all ?”

“…Yes. That’s all.”

“Y-YES ! THAT IS TOTALLY WHAT HAPPENED ! HAHAHAHAHA-”

“Koizumi-san, indoor voice.”

“S-Sorry...” Mahiru said, shying away in embarrassment before hurriedly whispering into Peko’s ear. “B-But really, though, what the hell did we just witness back there ?!”

* * *

“Sorry for almost dying of embarrassment back there...” Akane said, seemingly unable to look you in the eyes as her blushing seemed to not have diminished in any way. If anything, it probably even grew brighter !

“It’s- It’s alright, I can understand why… Why you would feel that way… !” You responded, still out of breath from having to chase the tiny spirit Akane around the classroom and putting it back in her corporeal envelope.

God, even her spirit is fast ! Nidai-san’s training must really do wonders to the mind !

“So, um...” Akane spoke up, rubbing the back of her neck as she tried to focus on something other than you. “You still haven’t answered my question, y’know… About, how big is your-”

“I- I remember the question perfectly, no need to say it again !” How could you possibly forget ?! One of the objectively hottest girls in Hope’s Peak just asked you your dick size ! There’s no way you could ever forget that !

“So… ?” Akane spoke up again, looking up towards you hopefully.

Sighing, you turned away from her, sitting down next to her silently. “…Promise you won’t tell anybody else.”

“Huh… ?”

“Promise me, Akane. Make a bond between training buddies with me, and promise me the information I’m about to give you is never going to leave this classroom !”

With a loud gulp, Akane nodded, her hand gripping yours softly. “It’s a promise, Kazuichi-san.”

“Alright…” You say, exhaling a breath you didn’t know you were holding in as a relieved smile graced your lips. “I’m twelve inches.”

Akane’s stunned silence was your cue to look at her, a fitting startruck expression gracing her features.

“No way. No way, you’re lying.”

“Believe me or not, it’s still true…” You said, rolling your eyes.

“Nuh-uh. I can’t believe that. Drop your pants.”

“Wh- WHAT ?! No ! Besides, I don’t have pants, all I have is my jumpsuit !”

“Then drop your jumpsuit !”

“It’s still no, Akane-san ! I’m not getting naked here !”

“Then I call bullshit !”

“I’m not bullshitting you !”

“Then show me the proof !”

“Look, Akane-san, this exchange is starting to make me uncomfortable…”

“Ughhh ! Can’t you just… ?!” Akane started, what started off as another yell soon devolved into a tiny mumble. “…Can’t you just unzip it to let me see it ?”

You know how headstrong Akane can be sometimes. And you also know that if you refuse, she’s going to make a big fuss about it and not leave you alone for days, so, with a sigh, you utter a small: “Fine…”

An almost immediate look of giddiness overtook her features, something that only embarrassed you further as your thumb and index finger gripped the zipper resting in between your pecs, slowly bringing it down as the telltale metallic sound resounded inside of the classroom-

“Uh… Akane-san ?”

“H-Huh ?”

“You’re… drooling a little.”

An uncharacteristic squeak left her lips as she brought her forearm up to her lips to wipe the offending liquid away, her eyes almost boring holes into the fabric of your jumpsuit.

You find out, however, that you weren’t prepared for the sight of the Ultimate Gymnast getting on her knees in front of you.

“A-Akane-san !”

“Don’t get any wrong ideas ! It’s just so I can see it better !”

_°How can I not get the wrongest of ideas when you’re doing this ?!°_ Your mind yelled as you resumed unzipping your jumpsuit, the zipper now resting past your abs and mere inches away from its terminus: your crotch.

“I can definitely see Kazuichi-san never missed a training session with Nidai-ossan…” That much was true, you never chickened out of a good training with the Ultimate Coach. For two reasons, especially: one, you’re hella ripped because of it now, so yay you; and two, Nidai always did _it_ to you afterwards.

And, my god, _it_ is the most beautiful thing to get after a workout. Especially from someone skilled like him.

You understand Akane so, so much now. _It_ is a wonderful thing, and you’re completely addicted to it.

“Y-Yeah…” You would have said more, but your brain is on autopilot right now and trying to steer your mind away from any… let’s say “spicy” scenes you may or may not have reviewed during your alone time.

(In case you don’t get it, you’re talking about porn, and how it looks like Akane is getting ready to suck, lick, or do something equally naughty to your dick right now.)

But what was the most difficult of all had to be the sight. Oh god, the sight.

Either you’re looking at Akane’s face, and the way she’s blushing and panting as if she was anticipating… _something_ eagerly is not helping you one bit.

Either you’re looking downwards of her, and LOOK UP IDIOT, IF YOU START LOOKING THERE YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO STOP- Dammit you looked. And now you can’t stop looking. Great.

Saying Akane’s plentiful chest gave you more boners than you can count would be an understatement, but if it had only been that, you could manage. Oh no. Ohhhhhh no. Akane is, according to your tastes, one of the closest things to a faithful representation of a goddess of beauty on earth. Just… Everything about that beautiful, tanned skin of hers, those strong, yet soft-looking thighs, those wide hips, is just… just…

Huh… You… You kinda forgot where you were going with that train of thought…

“Oh god- Um… K-Kazuichi-san… ?!” Akane stuttered, her widened eyes giving short, quick glances towards your cro-

_Oh god no._

Your face must have looked like a ripe strawberry as you looked down to meet Akane’s way too happy gaze, her eyes never once leaving the all-too-conspicuous tent that formed under the fabric of your jumpsuit.

“It looks so big already… A-And it’s not even out yet… !” O-Okay, Akane is definitely drooling right now, and you don’t know what to think of that.

God, you don’t want to stare, but you feel like not doing it would be rude. And, fuck, Akane’s excitement is making this really har- _difficult_, for you !

It’s fine ! Just like ripping off a band-aid, you have to do this quickly !

_*Ziiii-iip !*_

You can’t look down after this. You’re too embarrassed. You could feel your cock springing free from the confines of your clothes, but you can’t bear to watch Akane ogling your bare dick like this.

Still, the amazed gasp that comes out of her mouth barely a second afterwards does amazing things to your ego.

“…O-Oh god, you weren’t lying.” A loud gulp sounded, before Akane continued. “It’s enormous… You- You could fucking kill someone with that thing… !”

Stifling a moan of pleasure as you feel her hot breath encasing your cock, you gripped a table behind you as you involuntarily twitched and throbbed hard, her gaze never once leaving your shaft. Your hand almost gripped her head, before recoiling and shakily setting itself back onto a table, your face definitely feeling flushed.

“Haaaaah… A-Akane-san… We… We really shouldn’t-”  
_SLAM !_

“Yo, Chode-a, I need to use some of your stuff for an invention, can I borrow your- ?”

This time, you were the one freezing in place, Akane still seemingly starstruck by the sight of your bare, erect dick as Miu Iruma, of all people, happened to march into your class.

The thing is, you weren’t the only one freezing this time.

“…Tool.” One last whisper left Miu’s mouth before her mouth laid agape, her eyes becoming almost comically big as dinner plates as she also stared at your cock, her face progressively getting redder and redder, her hands pulling on her skirt to cover herself.

“Holy… fucking… crap.” Miu choked out, biting her lip as her thighs squirmed together, her gaze moving away from you to look at your classmate Akane.

Your classmate Akane currently on her knees in front of your bare, erect cock.

Her head slowly turning to look at Miu, she couldn’t possibly have stood up faster, almost pouncing on the Ultimate Inventor of Class 79 with a desperate look on her face.

“NOTHING WAS HAPPENING, MIU-SAN !” Shaking her violently, Miu could only stare wide-eyed at the Ultimate Gymnast as she endured the whole thing, more than a bit puzzled.

“Wh- Wha- ?” Confused, she tried speaking up, stopping in her tracks as she felt Akane’s hand on her shoulder, biting back a shriek of terror as Akane’s face seemed to have morphed into a bestial snarl barely inches away from her own face.

“**NOTHING WAS HAPPENING.**”

“What do you mean, nothing was happening ?! You looked like you were ready to go to town on his fat di- !”

“**MIU. NOTHING. WAS. HAPPENING.**”

“A- Alright, alright ! No- Nothing was happening ! …Although, I’m kinda jealous that you managed to score such a huge co-”

“_**I can make your death look like an accident, Miu.**_” Ooooo-kay, judging by her now-glowing-red eyes and the vicious-looking grip Akane-san had on Miu’s arms, you think it’s high time you separated the two of them.

“Alright, Akane-san, that’s enough !” You said, putting yourself between the two girls to prevent anything bad from happening.

“K-Kazuichi-san ?!” Phew, good thing Akane quickly came to her senses. You wouldn’t want her being expelled for killing someone you consider as the closest thing to an actual friend !

“I understand that you’re embarrassed, but this isn’t a solution ! After all, Miu promises not to say anything, _right Miu ?_” The edge in your voice couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than a warning, your brow knitting itself as you saw that Miu wasn’t looking at either of you. She seemed entranced by… Something _else…_ Something downwards of your body-

“I said: _**RIGHT MIU ?!**_” Putting a bit more volume into your words, Miu jumped as she got out of her trance-like state, her face a blushing mess as she recomposed herself.

“H-Huh ? O-Oh yeah, sure ! My lips are sealed !” A smirk widened on her lips as she stepped forward. “…Just, for a price, you know ?”

You bit back a groan of disappointment as Akane looked ready to pay her price in punches, which she would have done if you didn’t stop her with your forearm.

“Alright, what’s your price… ?”

“Weeeeeell… Normally I don’t do this, but… _This really looks like a golden opportunity~..._” Miu purred, stepping forward once again with a wide smirk on her still-blushing face. Trailing her hand against your bare torso- Shit, you really should remember to zip the rest of your jumpsuit up afterwards- Miu decided to press her sizable bust against you, her teasing face mere inches from yours as her hand seemingly decided to slooowly trail down your chest.

“AH- M-M-Miu-san ?!” You yelped, feeling Miu’s breathy chuckle tickle your ear as her finger stopped an inch short of your cock, rubbing the slightly hairy part of your crotch as she whispered into the shell of your ear.  
“_Let me get straight to the point, Soda-kun~… Your dick looks amazing and would put some more seasoned porn actors to shame~…_” Her hand leaving your body, it hovered above your cock as you involuntarily throbbed. Her teeth giving your earlobe a quick bite as a low groan slipped your lips, she continued.

“_I want you to f__uck __me with it. I want to have a taste of this amazing-looking meatrod~… In fact why don’t I-_ H-Huh ?” Miu’s monologue was interrupted as you looked down at her hand, a foreign tanned hand stopping hers from grabbing your dick. Turning your hand around, you both gulped as you saw Akane gripping Miu’s wrist, her hair casting a shadow over her eyes as a malevolent aura swirled around her body. “A- Akane-senpai… ?”

“_**Mine.**_”

“H-Huh ?!”

“_**MINE !!!**_” The Ultimate Inventor barely had time to react before a strong fist collided with her belly, sending her flying out of the classroom and into the hallway.

“_**MINE MINE MINE MINE MINE !!! KAZUICHI-SAN IS MINE AND YOU DON’T GET TO HAVE HIM !!!**_”

Taking heavy breaths due to her screaming fit, Akane’s torso heaved up and down as you looked at her, bewildered.

“Uh… Akane-san ?”

As you called her name and as she turned around to look at you, the Ultimate Gymnast’s brain visibly took a few seconds to process what she just said out loud, her face erupting into a bright red blush as she realized the implications of her words.

“IT- IT’S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, I SWEAR !!! I- I JUST- I WANTED TO SAY “DON’T DO THAT !” BUT- BUT IT CAME OUT DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT I HAD IN MIND !”

“Akane-san, I feel like there’s a long way to go for “Don’t do that !” to suddenly become “Mine !”...”

“NO ! SHUT UP ! I HATE YOU BOTH ! I’M GOING HOME !” Her blush becoming brighter- Something you thought would be impossible- Akane stormed out of the classroom as fast as she could, grabbing Miu by the arm as she got up and apparently was about to go for a second try with you.

And for the first time in a long while, silence happened.

…

What the fuck just happened ?!

Zipping your jumpsuit back up, you guessed it was high time for you to go home as well. Your head hurt from all the strange encounters that happened today, and you were really starting to become tired.

* * *

A towel tightly wrapped around your waist while you used another to dry the remaining water off of your hair, you laid down on your bed, sighing as you enjoyed the soft sensation of your numerous pillows against your head.

“Well, that was confusing…” Saying out loud to noone in particular but yourself, your train of thought was interrupted by your cellphone vibrating on your bedside table, the screen reading an all-too-familiar name:

_ **[AKANE OWARI – Incoming Call]** _

Eagerly picking up the phone and accepting the call, you were, unsurprisingly, greeted with the voice of your amazon-like classmate from Class 77.

“_Kazuichi-san ?_”

“Hey, Akane-san. Are you feeling better ?”

“_Yeah…__ I don’t hate you, by the way. I was just embarrassed, and words flew faster than my actual thoughts…_”

“Don’t worry, I get it… Sorry for making you feel embarrassed, by the way.”

“_Y- You don’t need to apologize, it’s not your fault !_”

A pause, before she spoke up once more.

“_Uh… What are you doing right now ?_”

“Oh, I just took a shower !”

“_Oh, th- that’s nice… I just took one as well…_”

Gulping as you tried not to imagine Akane while she was showering, you were about to change the subject before the Ultimate Gymnast spoke up once again.

“_And, um… What are you wearing ?_”

You very nearly choked on your spit as she asked you this question. That’s it, there is NO WAY this conversation is not going to end in phone sex ! Still, you tried getting a hold of yourself to not get your hopes up.

“Uh… A towel… ?”

“_Nh… A- And… ?_”

“That’s, uh… That’s pretty much it.”

“_Ngh~… W- Well __I__’m wearing a towel too…_”

“Oh.” You couldn’t find anything else to say, especially when, not even a few seconds later, you could somewhat hear the soft sound of sodden fabric hitting the ground through your phone’s receiver.

“What was th- ?”  
“_And now I’m not~…_”

God, that little seductive tone did amazing things to you, the beginnings of an erection straining against your own towel as you gripped your shaft through the still-wet fabric.

“Guh… That- That sounds nice…”

“_H- Hey, Kazuichi-san… ?_”

“Y- Yeah… ?”

“_Do you… Do you want to come over… ?_”

You’re pretty sure your heart skipped a beat as you heard Akane utter these words over the phone.

You’re clearly excited about it, but… Something feels off.

You need to make sure of a few things before diving headfirst.

“Akane-san, are you alright… ?”

A slight beat followed your question. “_Yeah, I’m feeling great… I might be a little tipsy, though…_”

You guessed right, it would seem.

“Akane-san, as much as I like the idea of joining you for a night together… I don’t want to take advantage of you, and you’re clearly not in your right mind.”

“_Huh_…_ ?_”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Akane-san.”

And with that, you ended the phone call.

…

…

…

…Welp. Looks like you’re having a date with Rosie Palms tonight once again.

* * *

On the other end of the line, a curvaceous tanned Ultimate Gymnast laid on her bed equally disappointed.

“Why the hell did I say that… ?!” Yelled one still very sober Akane Owari.


	2. Chapter 2

Why the fuck did you have to do this...

You could have either closed the conversation early and save yourself some embarrassment, or just, oh, I don't know, NOT LIE ABOUT BEING DRUNK ?!

Urghhhhhhhhh !!!

“Wow, you look like shit, Akane.”

You don't even have enough energy in yourself to glare at Saionji, so you just keep it at an eyeroll and a sigh.

“And a good morning to you too, Hiyoko...” You might have been a little more confrontational, had you not blown your chances for a nice dicking yesterday evening. Now, you would say you're one off-hand remark from her from making her kiss a brick wall, but you're not even sure if you'd even feel any sort of pleasure out of it.

“So.” She said, out of the blue.

“So... ?” You mimic, looking at her in confusion. Also, why the fuck would she want to talk to you this morn- ?

“A little birdy told me,” She started, the tiniest of smirks present on her face widening into a full Cheshire cat grin. “That you and idiot Kazuichi-niichan had a little encounter, yesterday~”

You're thankful for not drinking anything at the moment, because you clearly did a violent spittake as she said that. Choking a bit on your saliva, you let out a few violent coughs, the Ultimate Traditional Dancer not even bothering to hide her laughter behind her sleeve like she usually does.

“Wh- ! I- ! It's not- ! Wh- Wh- Who told you that ?!” Your eyes widen as you review the possibilities: Hiyoko hates Miu and clearly wants to do nothing with her, so it's not her. Besides, you know that Miu would only brag about it if she fucked Kazuichi, and not before. Peko and Hiyoko are indifferent to eachother, so it's not her either, and the Ultimate Swordswoman isn't one to flap her mouth to anybody about anything. The only person left is-

Hiyoko's best friend, whom she would definitely believe, who also happens to be someone who can't hold a secret if her life depended on it.

“**Mahiruuuuuuu...”** Your tired state immediately leaves you as violence begins to fill your body to replace it, your hair floating menacingly as your eyes begin to shift into a bright red tint, each step you make creating craters in the pavement as you head slowly towards Hope's Peak, your teeth gritted into a furious snarl as you see, for the first time in a long while, a clear expression of “Oh shit, I might have fucked up” on Hiyoko Saionji's now finally adult-looking features.

“H- Hey, A- Aka-nee...” She flinches as you quickly turn towards her, her face pale and visibly sweating as she sees steam escaping from behind your near-animalistic snarl.

“Y- You're not- You're not gonna hurt Mahiru-neechan... R- Right... ?”

“**...”** You stay silent, Hiyoko's shaking form trying to form a semi-genuine smile, before you finally turn back towards the large building of the Ultimate Academy.

“**MAHIRUUUUUUUUUU !!!”** You bellow, immediately sprinting towards the building as you leave behind a powerless Hiyoko Saionji, unable to catch up to you even if she tried, tears welling in the corners of her eyes.

“Why did I say that... ?! Please stay safe, Mahiru-nee... !”

* * *

In the common room of Class 77, as per usual, the female students arrived earlier than the males, and a certain Ultimate Photograph felt a very strong shiver run up her spine, her hands grasping at her sides in fear, without really knowing why.

“Mahiru-chan, are you alright ?! You're shaking !” One Ibuki Mioda asked, hyper as ever even in the early morning, but still concerned for her friend.

“I don't know why... But I have a horrible feeling _something_ is going to happen...”

“Eh ? Something ?”

“I... I just have a hunch, is all... Sorry for worrying you, Ibuki.”

At this time, the Ultimate Swordswoman, Peko Pekoyama, stood up from her seat, gripping at her katana's scabbard and readjusting her glasses with her index finger.

“I'm hearing something. It sounds strong, and it's getting closer.” She said, getting into a defensive stance. Worried, her classmate Mikan Tsumiki, went to look out the window, her usual scared expression shifting into one of confusion.

“H-Hey, girls ? I-I d-don't wanna sound s-stupid or i-ignorant, but...”

“But ?”

“D-Do we... I-Is it possible for us t-to get s-sandstorms in Japan... ?” She said, her classmates huddling around her as she pointed towards a rather large cloud of dust headed towards Hope's Peak.

“What the hell... ?” A nonplussed Peko said, letting her guard down slightly as she looked at the incoming dust cloud, her train of thought derailing once she felt Ibuki shaking her violently, an exaggeratedly scared expression on her face.

“**WE'RE ALL GUNNA DIEEEEEE, PEKO-CHAAAAAAAN !!!**” The Ultimate Musician screamed, two comical streams of tears flowing out from the sides of her eyes. Sighing, Peko gestured for Ibuki to stand behind her, which she quickly did.

“I'm hearing something from inside it... It looks like a voice...” Having been woken up by the sound, a still very much tired Chiaki Nanami spoke up, frowning slightly.

“What is it saying ?” At her side, the Ultimate Princess asked, making the Ultimate Gamer pout as she tried to concentrate on it to hear it better.

“It's hard to tell, there's so much noise around it...” Chiaki started, rubbing her temples all the while. “It sounds a bit like... Mayo... ? Mayor... ?”

“Hey, hold on, isn't that... Akane ?” Peko said, raising an eyebrow incredulously as she saw the Ultimate Gymnast running towards the school building like a bat out of hell.

It was around this time, though, that Mahiru finally put two and two together, her face visibly paling as she heard exactly ** WHO ** was running towards Hope's Peak like this.

“Huh... ? Why would Akane yell 'Mayor' ?” Sonia asked, prompting an even shakier Mahiru to stand up from her seat and walk away from the windows towards Peko.

“She's not saying Mayor,” Her voice low as she gripped the Ultimate Swordswoman's sleeve, she stared at the ground in sheer terror. “She's saying-”

The sound of the Academy's glass doors opening violently to the point of shattering resounding throughout the building, a scream of rage flew up from the bottom level of the academy.

“**MAHIRUUUUUUUU !!!”**

“Ah. Close enough.” Chiaki said, before turning her attention back to her game, pulling a pair of headphones out of her bag and plugging them into her console to hear the sound of her game uninterrupted.

“...What did you do ?” Peko said with a pretty harsh glare aimed towards the Ultimate Photograph currently hugging her arm.

“I- I may or may not have let some information from yesterday slip out last night when I was on the phone with Hiyoko.” Mahiru's mouth going a mile a second, Peko could only react by pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

“Let me get this straight,” She started, her red eyes locked on Mahiru's chestnut ones. “You went... And told Hiyoko the “Something Embarrassing” from yesterday about Akane... Knowing fully well that she would repeat it... And that Akane is probably very insecure about it ?! What is wrong with you ?!”

“I told you, it's not my fault ! She was being insistant and it slipped out !”

At this exact moment, the door leading to the Class 77's common room slammed open, revealing none other than a furious-looking Ultimate Gymnast, her crimson gaze locked on Mahiru's shaking form.

“**Mahiru Koizumiiiii...”** A hoarse whisper escaping her lips, Akane slowly advanced towards the Ultimate Photograph, every other female Ultimate in the room moving away from her, except for Peko, who stood stalwart between the both of them, and Chiaki, who couldn't care less if she tried.

“AKANE-SAN I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M-” Bowing down frantically in Akane's direction, Mahiru clearly felt as if she was going to die the instant Akane got close to her, her face covered in tears, still freshly streaming down her cheeks from her eyes as she apologized profusely in the most pathetic way possible.

“Akane-san, stop it !” Peko yelled, turning Akane's gaze towards her. “Mahiru didn't mean any ill intent ! Can't you see she's terrified ?!”

“**She should be. I'm gonna tear her apart.”** The growl that came out of Akane's mouth couldn't be mistaken for anything other than hatred and killing intent, the Ultimate Photograph looking more and more like she was seconds away from fainting.

Pulling out her sword from her scabbard, the rest of the girls from Class 77 shrieked as Peko held her katana towards Akane.

“I'm not gonna repeat myself, Akane...” Trying very hard to act like she had the situation covered, Peko still couldn't stop the cold sweat she was feeling from rolling down her forehead. “Stay where you are, or suffer the consequences.”

“**You actually think you're threatening me... With this toothpick... ?”** A mad grin splitting her face, Akane advanced, her hand on the tip of Peko's katana as both her and Mahiru heard something that made their blood freeze in their veins.

The telltale high-pitched sound of bending metal.

“**Come to think of it, I should be tearing you apart as well, Peko Pekoyama... You've seen and heard entirely too much to live...”** Akane's hand finally leaving the katana's blade, Peko looked on in horror as her sword made a perfect U-turn, her arm wrapped around the form of a now-fainted Mahiru Koizumi. ** “And when I'll be done with the two of you... ? I'll take care of Miu and Hiyoko... Then I'll finally be fr- Urgh !” **

Feeling a sharp pain in her neck, Akane looked back to see Mikan standing behind her, shaking, but a resolute look on her face. Looking lower, she could see a syringe protruding from her collar.

“**Mi... kan... ?”** Her eyes rolling back inside her head, Akane's muscular form hit the ground, fainting. A few seconds afterwards, snoring could be heard from under her, the Ultimate Swordswoman sighing in relief as she fell to the ground on her knees.

“Thank you... So, ** SO ** much, Mikan...” Peko said, dabbing her still-covered-in-cold-sweat forehead with her sleeve as Mikan walked towards the sleeping body of Akane to remove her syringe.

“...You're welcome.” Was the only thing she said, as she took a wet wipe and sterilized the now-empty syringe's needle. “Th-This was a powerful tranquilizer, so sh-she should be out cold for a while. L-Let's bring her to my Research Lab.”

“By all means, let's !” Sonia said, looking towards Mahiru's unconscious form with a slight frown. “I don't know what Mahiru-chan did to make Akane so angry, but I do think we're going to need some explanations from the both of them when they wake up !”

“Couldn't have said it better, Sonia-san.” Peko responded, helping the Ultimate Princess and the Ultimate Nurse lift up Akane's body.

* * *

Your name is still Kazuichi Soda, and what the hell happened here ?

Okay, so, you wish you could say that damage to Hope's Peak is a rare thing to see, but seeing as you're one of the guys charged with repairing the buildings when they suffer some, you can safely say that it's a common fucking occurence.

Still, you have never- and you ** mean ** NEVER- seen the front doors THIS fucked up before !

Jesus, did a truck crash into the entrance ?! Almost every glass panel is spider-webbed, and the front doors are shattered into a million pieces !

You've seen CGI cities in disaster movies less broken than what you're actually standing in front of ! There's no way anyone is going to repair that ! There's no way YOU are going to repair that ! Fuck that !

Who the hell did this ?!

...

You feel like you might get some answers by going to the infirmary. You don't know why, but you have a hunch.

“Mahiru-neesaaaaaaaaan... !” A familiar voice reaches your ears as you see Saionji running as fast as she can in a kimono and traditional sandals towards the building, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Hiyoko... ?” You say, clearly nonplussed at this unfamiliar sight. The moment Hiyoko locks eyes with you, her sprinting changes directions to instead go towards you, her hands scrambling on the front of your torso before holding your collar and shaking you as much as she could.

“Please, Kazuichi-niisan ! Y-You have to _ *hic !* _ You have t-to help Mahiru-neesan ! I said _ *hic !* _ I s-said something s-stupid a-and now Akane's g-gonna KILL HER !!!” Her tears flowing freely down her face, she seemed so much smaller than you remembered, even after her growth spurt.

You don't really understand the situation, and, to be completely honest, you don't think you want to understand it...

But god forbid you let one of your classmates cry without doing anything about it.

“Hiyoko.” You say as softly as you can muster, seeing the only slightly younger Ultimate look up to you with tear-filled eyes. Extending your hand towards her, you gave her a smile.

“Let's go look for Mahiru together, okay ? I have a feeling she's alright.”

You see her visibly hesitate, before she nods wordlessly, her hand holding yours softly as you both start to walk in the direction of the infirmary.

However you stop in your tracks as you see her yelp and visibly wince, her body instinctively kneeling, and that's when you see it.

Blood, pearling at the sides of her sandals, falling to the floor in tiny drops.

“Hiyoko-san, are you hurt ?!”

“It's my sandals...” She says, the tips of her fingers coated in a bit of her crimson blood as you look down and OKAY SHE'S CLEARLY BLEEDING, GOOD THING YOU'RE HEADED FOR THE INFIRMARY.

“The- The rope must have dug into my skin... while I was running...” Rubbing some of her fresh tears out of her eyes with her sleeve, you can't bear to hear any more of it. Your arms hooking up behind her legs and back, you hold her up bridal style, drawing a surprised yelp from her mouth.

“H- Hey !” You hear her start to protest, her cheeks blushing pretty hard as you turn your head back to look at her.

“If you walk any more like this, you're only going to hurt yourself further. Let me carry you.” You explained, kicking yourself mentally for using an almost scolding tone as you did. Still, it seems to work, as Hiyoko instead decides to hook her arms around your neck for leverage, pressing her face against your jumpsuit as you quickly made your way to the infirmary.

On the way, though, you both see a lot more students chatting to themselves, some debating about what could have happened earlier, while others just looked intrigued by yet another showcase of eccentricity by the Ultimate Classes. You overhear a group of students talking about Akane and Mahiru, and you feel your blood go cold for a moment, expecting the worst.

“Well, that's an uncommon sight.” As if putting your thoughts into words, you heard a melodious voice ring behind you, being greeted by the sight of Class 78's Ultimate Gambler, Celestia Ludenberg. Her sudden presence was apparently enough to silence the droning chatter of the students in the hallways.

“Tell me, D-Rank, what is the meaning of this commotion ?” You heard her ask, biting back an indignant reaction to her ranking you at D. Oh well, at least you're not F, so you won't have to fear for your life, you guess...

“Apparently, something happened between Mahiru-san and Akane-san... ? I just got here, so I don't know any more than you do, Celestia-san.”

“Hmph. And here I thought you'd be at least useful... Serves me right for believing in the impossible, I guess.”

“Hey.”

Her crimson gaze moved from your face to Hiyoko's, the Ultimate Traditional Dancer facing her with a pout. It seemed like her crying had subsided for now.

“Back off. Only I get to bully Kazuichi-niisan.” She said, glaring daggers at her while her arms held her a bit tighter against you.

A brief pause followed, as Celestia looked over the both of you, then hid a small chuckle with her hand.

“Hmhmhmhm~... I didn't know the state of your relationship with Souda-kun had improved this much, Hiyo-kohai~...”

You looked at her puzzled, while Hiyoko seemed to take great offense at this, her blushing intensifying as she wiggled in your grasp.

“Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What is that supposed to mean ?! You're- You're wrong ! You're stupid a-and you're wrong ! It's not like that ! I-I don't even like Kazuichi-niisan ! He's dumb, a-and an idiot, and I-I don't even like him ! Fuck you ! Stupid pig barf Taeko !”

_'__I'm still here, you guys...'_ You think to yourself, feeling a bit empty inside.

You honestly believed to see Celestia fly off the handle upon having Hiyoko use her real name, and for a moment, you thought you had seen the faintest hint of anger on her features, but instead her eyes seemed to shine as a devious smile curled her red lips, the glint in her gaze making Hiyoko shiver in your grasp.

“You do know that I am an expert in detecting _ bluffs and lies, right Hiyoko-chan _~?”

“Guh-!” You felt Hiyoko rear back against you as Celestia finished her sentence, almost as if she had actually been hit. However, you see her avoiding both your gaze and Celestia's once she recomposes herself, her cheeks still very much rosy.

“I- I'm not lying...”

“Really... ?” Celestia asked rhetorically, and you could see her grin widening as she stepped closer to Hiyoko.

“_ Then I'm guessing you won't have any problems with me telling Kazuichi-san about your totally real feelings, then ? _”

“Okay, okay, fine, I lied, I lied !”

“Hufufufufu~...” Wow, okay, this is really awkward, you really wish Hiyoko didn't provoke her because you don't know how you feel about these two talking about you like you aren't there holding up one of them.

“So you  do  admit you like him~...”

“I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE ! KAZUICHI-NIISAN ! GET ME AWAY FROM STUPID PIG BARF TAEKO !” Wow, okay, her face is nearly completely red, from either embarrassment or anger, and you don't want to know if it's one or the other.

You'll also forget the fact that you could feel Hiyoko's heartbeat racing while holding her against you, and that Celestia talking about you only made it quicken. Yup, you'll definitely forget about that. In fact, it's already forgotten. Because if it wasn't, it would be a really awkward piece of information to have, wouldn't you agree ?

As you both enter the premises of Mikan's Research Lab, you leave behind Celestia, still wearing a fake saccharine sweet smile on her features.

“Well...” She says, the both of you far enough to not hear her. “I might not have gotten any information on the situation... But at least I entertained myself~!”

* * *

“Mikan ?”

The first to talk was Hiyoko, still in your arms as you both entered the premises of the Ultimate Nurse's Research Lab. Turning around to face the both of you, her eyes widened as she saw Hiyoko's slight bleeding.

“S-Saionji-san ! A-Are you a-alright ?!”

“I'm okay now.” She mumbled, turning her head away from you as she did. “Kazuichi-niisan held me until we got here so that I wouldn't get hurt any further...”

“Huh ?” Mikan said, moving closer to the blonde-haired ultimate. “S-Saionji-san, are you... A-Are you blushing ?”

“Don't push your luck, pig barf.” Ouch. And here you thought she'd be a little nicer to Mikan, but seeing her usual bully demeanor come back full force is something you should have expected, honestly.

“Eek ! I-I'm s-sorry !” Oh god no. And now Mikan looks like she's seconds away from crying ! Well, granted she always kind of looks like she's seconds away from crying, but the sight breaks your heart nonetheless. You have to intervene.

“Saionji-san.” You call out, the blonde Ultimate facing you once again as you try and muster a disapproving look. “Be nice to Mikan-san. She's the one who took care of Mahiru-san, after all.”

“...” Her face pressing into your chest, she let out a muffled “Sorry, Mikan-chan...”, drawing a surprised look from her, a different voice speaking up behind the purple-haired nurse.

“Hiyoko ?”

Her eyes widening, the Ultimate Traditional Dancer immediately recognized said voice, her body attempting to wiggle away from your grasp.

“MAHIRU-NEESAN !!! YOU'RE OKAY !!!”

“Hiyoko-san, don't ! If you walk, you'll hurt yourself more !”

“It's okay, Souda-kun. I just fainted, after all, so I can get up. You two stay where you are, I'll come instead !” And, sure enough, the Ultimate Photograph appeared before the two of you, Hiyoko's crying doubling down as she pulled the strawberry-haired girl into a hug, her form shaking a bit as she tried to hold her up in her arms like you were doing.

“H-Hiyoko... ! You're not little anymore... I'm having trouble here... !”

“Oh, um... Heheh... Sorry, Mahiru-neesan... I kinda felt little again when Kazuichi-niisan was holding me up...” Rubbing the back of her head sheepishly, you're glad to see Hiyoko finally smile as she sits on one of the nearby beds, her bloodied sandals hitting the floor as she kicked them off.

“Sorry I didn't say hello first, Mikan-san. Hiyoko-san needs some patching up, if that's okay.” You explained, seeing Hiyoko nod from the corner of your vision.

"H-Hi... Kazuichi-san..." It's not an uncommon sight to see Mikan avoid other people's gazes. What is an uncommon sight, however, is the fact that she is slowly beginning to look more and more like a ripe tomato with each passing second while doing so. "I'll- I'll do my best, d-don't worry... !"

"Hmph. I expect only the best ! Not that you would be capable of doing tha- !" As you hear Hiyoko start to badmouth Mikan again, you give her another glare, making her turn away with a pout.

"Hiyoko."

"F-Fine, geez... ! I'm sorry, Mikan-chan..."

"Sorry for _what_ ?"

"Guh... ! S-Sorry for saying you're not capable... You- You're... _g-good_... at what you do... sometimes."

"Hm. Close enough. Sorry again, Mikan-san."

"It's- It's alright, r-really... ! Y-You don't have t-to do this for my sake... !" You can safely say your heart skipped a beat when you saw her smiling widely, almost beaming with radiance.

"B-But thanks again, Kazuichi-san... ! You- You looked r-really cool... like that... Not that i'm implying that you're not cool at other times I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorr-"

Yeah, you're pretty sure your cheeks are completely red by now. God dammit, you're not prepared to handle situations like those... ! Alright, K, act cool !

"Wha- What are you talking about ?! O-Of course, I have to do this ! I can't- I can't just let pretty girls like you get insulted... !" Ah well, close enough.

"P-Pretty ?!" You hear Mikan squeak out, her eyes turning into swirls as her face seemed to get even redder than it was before, steam seeming to shoot out from her ears-

Oh shit, that just slipped out, didn't it ?

...Welp.

"W-Well... yeah. It's just- Y-You're one of the prettiest girls in our class... ! I mean it !" You roll with it. After all, everyone likes compliments ! You're not sure they might be worth a whole lot, coming from you, but still !

"Uhhh !" God, now you're too embarrassed to look her in the eyes, but you're pretty sure you might be just as red as she is. You'll just try and forget the fact that you seemed to have seen some hearts in her purple eyes for a moment.

...Nah, that's probably just a trick of the light, there's no way...

"...Tch !" You hear behind you, turning around to see Hiyoko looking away, a scowl of annoyance on her face.

"Hiyoko, wh- ?"

"I'm fine." Mahiru had tried to ask, before being interrupted by the Ultimate Traditional Dancer, who now seemed hellbent on avoiding your gaze.

...Alright, what did you do _again_... ?

"Is Akane here... ? I heard something happened, and-"

"She- She's still asleep in the bed opposite to Mahiru's ! She's o-okay, don't worry, she just... g-got forcefully administered... w-with sedatives..."

"...I take it she was pissed off at something ?"

"_Majorly._" You hear your four fellow female Ultimates crow out at the same time.

Wait, four ?

"...Peko-san ?" You say dumbly as you watch the grey-haired Ultimate rise up from the bed she was sitting on.

"I'm fine, don't worry. The only thing that sustained damage was..." You see her nod towards a nearby table and _WOW,_ SWORDS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BEND THAT WAY, HOLY SHIT.

"Did- Did Akane-san... do this... ? Why ?" You will never, ever admit it, but the thought of Akane being strong enough to bend metal is a thought that, strangely enough, arouses you. But you shake that thought away almost as fast as it arrived, thankfully.

"That... might be my fault." You turn towards Mahiru, seeing her holding her hand up with a guilty frown on her face. "I kinda... Sorta... Um..."

"She told me that Akane asked you your dick size."

"HIYOKO !"

"What ?! It's true !"

Ah. Now you understand. Akane probably lashed out from embarrassment, and from fear of a rumor being started. Not that you blame her for it, though...

Sighing, you readjust your woolcap on your head, passing your hand through your hair while you do so.

"Well, what's done is done. I hope Hiyoko is the only person you told this to, Mahiru-san."

"O-Of course ! I wouldn't dream to start a bad rumor against anybody !"

"Good." You turn back to face Hiyoko, her pout still very much present on her face as her scowl seemed to have diminished slightly.

"And I assume you won't do the same mistake of running your mouth twice, isn't that right, _Hiyoko-chan_ ?" You ask, giving the blonde Ultimate a slight glare as you emphasize her name.

"Y-Yeah... Once is enough for a lifetime."

"Mnnnh... Whuh... ?" You all turn back to face the familiar tanned Ultimate Gymnast laying in the bed beside you, softly stirring under immaculate white sheets as her eyes open slowly.

"W-Wow, I... I didn't expect her t-to wake up this early... ! Th-That syringe w-was made for Gundham's v-various larger beasts, at f-first... !" You all hear Mikan comment, raising a few eyebrows across the room.

"Hmmuh... ? Kaz... Kazooie... sheet ?"

Close enough, you guess. But honestly, you're just glad she's okay !

And just as you all thought Akane was going to be stuck between dreamland and reality for a little while longer, her body shot up in her bed, her eyes widening in worry as she looked at Mahiru.

"M-Mahiru... ! I'm so so so so SO sorry !!! I just- I lost my mind for a bit, A-And... ! And I'm not expecting you to forgive me, or anything, but... ! But I just want to let you know th-that I would never EVER try to hurt you again ! You're one of my best friends and I can't stand the idea o-of- !"

You barely have the time to react as you see the Ultimate Photograph pull Akane into a hug, her eyes leaking like faucets as she held her stronger friend.

"WH-WHY ARE YOU APOLOGIZING, YOU- YOU BIG IDIOT ?! IF ANYTHING, I- I SHOULD APOLOGIZE FOR B-BETRAYING YOUR TRUST !"

"H-Huh... ?" You see Akane visibly tear up and process what her classmate just said, her face scrunching up slightly under the emotion she was feeling. "B-But... ! But I tried to hurt you... ! I'm the one who needs to apologize... !"

"And I'm the one who actually hurt you !" Sniffling loudly, she continued. "I know how it feels... ! To be ashamed... ! To be scared... ! To want to hide away forever... ! AND I- I PUT YOU IN THAT SPOT !!! I'M SORRYYYYYYYYY !!!"

Hugging her back, Akane gritted her teeth, trying very hard not to let the dam break as tears pooled dangerously on the corners of her eyes.

"I dunno what you're apologizing for... ! But I hate to see you cry... So consider your apologies accepted if you accept mine !"

Laughing softly as she rubbed her fresh tears off of her face, Mahiru nodded, hugging Akane closer.

"Apologies accepted... You big dummy. Let's just promise to never do what we did to each other ever again."

"Yeah, that sounds good..."

Getting up from the bed you were sitting on, you couldn't help the big goofy grin resting on your face as you watched this beautiful display of friendship.

Also, you need to get out of here quick because you're going to cry, and you want to do it where nobody can mock you.

"I'll let you guys have your moment... See you in class, ev-"

"Wait !"

Your hand pausing on the steel doorknob of Mikan's Research Lab, you turned around to see Akane standing up a little ways away from you.

"Yes, Akane ?"

A slight beat occurred, before the Ultimate Gymnast finally spoke up.

"Th- This whole... thing... with Mahiru... ! It opened my eyes ! I- I don't know how, I don't know why... But it did !" Her fists tightening at her sides, she continued, a determined look in her eyes.

"Now I'm done trying to hide away ! Wh- Which is why, Kazuichi-san, I want to ask you... !"

A pregnant pause, followed by a loud gulp occurred.

"...Yes ?" You said, her face a blushing mess. Her eyes avoided yours for a moment, before finally locking onto your gaze, taking a deep breath.

"K-KAZUICHI-SAN ! D-DO YOU WANT TO GO ON A DATE WITH ME ?!"

"HUUUUH ?!" Everyone in the room, except for you and her, reacted.

Behind you, the door slammed open, revealing a pile of other Ultimates of different classes falling to the floor.

"WHAT ?!" They said, both sides clearly shocked at this sudden twist.

"...Sure ! How about tomorrow night ?" You asked back, trying to quell the wild beating of your heart as you saw Akane grinning happily.

"It's perfect !" She responded, raising her fist in the air triumphantly. "Everyone, take notice ! I'm not going to lose to anybody !"

You can't help but laugh upon seeing her so energized. You already love her.

...Huh ? "Love"... ?

"I'm looking forward to this." You say, and for a moment, it's only the two of you in the universe. Like something... _clicked_ into place, like the final piece of a puzzle.

"Y-Yeah... Me too..." She responds, a lot more bashful than she was a few seconds ago. Your gazes remain locked as you walk out of the room, and, without concerting yourselves, you both sigh at the same time, a dopey smile on both of your faces.

Silence follows.

...

...

...

"Welp ! I better get going, then ! Bye, everyo- !"

"...Akane."

"...Huh ?"

"...Get the fuck out of my Research Lab."


End file.
